LinkedIn carousel ads show between two and ten swipeable image cards in the feed, each with its own headline and, if you like, its own link. LinkedIn recommends square 1080 x 1080 pixel images, and you can attach a Lead Gen Form. The detail most people miss: once you save the ad, you can't edit the cards, so check everything before you click save.
Carousels are a good fit when one image can't tell the story: a product range, a step-by-step process, a set of results or a short case study told in frames. They're also one of the easiest LinkedIn formats to get wrong, because the specs are fussier than they look.
LinkedIn carousel ad specs
| Element | LinkedIn's limit |
|---|---|
| Number of cards | Minimum 2, maximum 10 |
| Image file size | Up to 10 MB per card |
| Maximum image size | 4320 x 4320 pixels |
| Recommended image size | 1080 x 1080 pixels, 1:1 square |
| Displayed size | Scaled to 312 x 312 pixels |
| File types | JPG, PNG and non-animated GIF |
| Introductory text | Up to 150 characters before it's cut short on some devices, 255 maximum |
| Card headline | 45 characters (link or lead form), shown on two lines before cut-off |
| Destination URL | Must start with http:// or https://, up to 2,000 characters |
| Ad name | Up to 255 characters, only visible in Campaign Manager |
Notice the gap between the recommended 1080 pixels and the 312 pixels it displays at. Your card is shown small, so text on the image needs to be big and short. If you can't read it on your phone at arm's length, nobody else will either.
What you can't do with a carousel
- No video. LinkedIn says videos can't be added to carousel image ads.
- No animated GIFs. Only non-animated GIFs are accepted.
- No editing cards after saving. Once the ad is saved, the cards are locked. To change one, you'll create a new ad.
- No different forms per card. If you choose a Lead Gen Form, every card leads to the same form.
Each card can point to a different web page, which is handy for showing several products. But if you tick the box to send every card to the same URL, you can't add individual links later in that ad.
Which objectives allow carousel ads
You can use carousel image ads with five objectives in Campaign Manager: brand awareness, website visits, engagement, website conversions and lead generation. Pick lead generation if you want the form option, and website visits or conversions if each card should send people to a page.
How to create a LinkedIn carousel ad
- Check permissions: you need super admin or content admin access on the LinkedIn Page (or the Page's ad poster role), plus creative manager access or higher on the ad account.
- Create an ad set with one of the five supported objectives, or edit an existing one.
- On the Ads in this ad set page, click Create new ad(s) and give it a name.
- Add your introductory text and destination URL. Tick the box if every card should go to the same page.
- Upload an image on each card with the upload icon, then use Crop to zoom, straighten or rotate it.
- Use the reorder icon to put the cards in order.
- For lead generation, choose a call-to-action button and a Lead Gen Form.
- Preview carefully, then click Save ad and make sure Add to ad set is ticked.
LinkedIn reviews every ad before it runs, and ads that don't meet its advertising guidelines can be rejected. One small extra from the help page: only Page super admins and content admins can hide, delete or reply to comments on your carousel ads as the Page, so make sure whoever handles community replies has that role.
How I'd plan the cards
A carousel is a mini story. Here's a structure that works for most small businesses:
- Card 1: the problem in a few words. This is the thumbnail most people judge you on.
- Cards 2 to 4: one idea per card, such as a step, a feature or a result.
- Last card: the offer and what to do next, matching your call-to-action button.
Keep headlines well inside the 45 characters, because they cut off after two lines. And design all the cards as one set so the swipe feels continuous rather than random. For general sizing across LinkedIn, my guide to LinkedIn advertising covers the other formats, and if you're building the images yourself, free LinkedIn templates are a quick starting point for consistent design.
Carousel ads or document ads?
Both let people move through several frames without leaving the feed, so it's worth knowing which to pick. Here's how LinkedIn's own specs compare:
| Carousel ads | Document ads | |
|---|---|---|
| What people see | 2 to 10 image cards they swipe | A document they page through |
| Links | Each card can link to a different page | Links inside the file only work once it's downloaded |
| Lead Gen Form | Optional, the same form on every card | Optional, shown after a set number of preview pages |
| Best for | Products, steps, results told in pictures | Guides, reports and case studies people want to keep |
If people should click through to different pages, choose a carousel. If you want them to read and keep something, a document ad is the better home for it, and it gives you more control over when the form appears.
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If you'd rather use moving images, my guide to LinkedIn video ads covers that format.
My verdict
Carousel ads are worth trying whenever you have more than one thing to show, and they suit visual businesses and step-by-step offers especially well. The rules are strict but simple: two to ten square cards, big readable text, short headlines, no video, and a careful preview before saving, because there's no going back on the cards. Get those right and a carousel often earns more attention in the feed than a single image.
Document ads are a close cousin of this format, and my guide to LinkedIn document ads explains the difference.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards can a LinkedIn carousel ad have?
LinkedIn carousel ads need at least two cards and can have up to ten.
What size should LinkedIn carousel images be?
LinkedIn recommends 1080 x 1080 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio. The maximum is 4320 x 4320 pixels and 10 MB per card, and images display at 312 x 312 pixels.
Can I put a video in a LinkedIn carousel ad?
No. LinkedIn says videos can't be added to carousel image ads, and animated GIFs aren't supported either.
Can I edit a LinkedIn carousel ad after saving it?
You can't edit the carousel cards once the ad is saved. You'd need to create a new ad with the changes.
